Children
by PrydainViolet
Summary: A post Book of Three story about Taran and Eilonwy returning to Caer Dallben and starting a new life. Short addition to chapter2 added!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the Prydain Chronicles or any of it's characters! They belong only to Mr. Alexander, probably one of the coolest people in the world.

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Prince Gwydion looked at the strange trio before him. The snow white pig being stroked by the lost princess who was watching over the unconscious farm boy. His brow furrowed as he contemplated how the tangled threads of destiny had brought these crucial figures together. The irony that the key to the fate of his land was a simple farm animal did not escape him, and his thoughts turned again to the young man who tended the oracular pig. That he had been raised by Dallben was of particular interest to him, and Gwydion felt that a long chat with the enchanter was in store about a certain book. One thing he knew for certain was that this was not the last time he would meet Taran of Caer Dallben. And then there was Eilonwy, daughter of Angharad, daughter of Regat, Princess of the house of Llyr. That Angharad's daughter had been in the clutches of Achren for so long caused him no end of grief from regret. _If only he had known. _He was sure that Achren had found some underhanded way of concealing her, and it was nothing short of a miracle that the young princess had surfaced unscathed. Once again since their first meeting, Gwydion found himself wanting to keep her, to give her the home a princess deserves. She would be welcomed with open arms in his father's court, and he could love her as a daughter. He let himself imagine, just for a moment, how she would run to greet him, how he would bring her little presents that made her smile, how he would watch her blossom into a lady in front of the admiring eyes of the courtiers. _My Eilonwy, the flower of the court_ he would call her. And she did, indeed, have her mother's fair looks and hair that caught the sun as spun gold in the red light of dawn. It would be an extraordinary boon to have the love of such a child. Gwydion pushed the thoughts away as his throat began to constrict. He was a warrior and a traveler, not a father. Besides, there was much still to learn about this princess, and it was better that she remain hidden away at Caer Dallben until the time was right, until destiny called her. And, judging by the way she was watching over Taran, she might prefer to spend her remaining childhood by the side of an Assistant Pig Keeper.

* * *

Coll was very relieved and slightly bemused. The recently promoted Assistant Pig-Keeper and his charge had gone missing, only to return weeks later not only with Hen Wen, but also a strange creature called Gurgi and in the company of a golden haired princess no less! The gardener rubbed his bald head and grinned. No wonder Dallben had not seemed too worried at Taran and Hen Wen's disappearance. The enchanter had merely raised his bushy eyebrows at the news and busied himself over The Book of Three, Coll even suspected that Dallben had really been "meditating" over the situation which had seemed entirely inappropriate at the time. However, Coll had learnt to trust the old enchanter's instincts and waited patiently for whatever may have come. Coll thanked the stars that Taran's luck had served him well and brought him back home, safe and sound if slightly older. As much as Coll was loathe to admit it, he knew he could not stop the boy from growing taller, could not stop him from learning more about the outside world, could not even keep him from all the things he had been protected against in Caer Dallben. Like girls. Coll watched the princess standing at Hen Wen's fence. Although he knew nothing of young women, he already felt affection for her tugging at his heart. The poor child had been raised with no parents save Achren, and although Coll knew that he was a unfortunate substitute for Taran's mother, he felt sure that even he had been a better parent to his boy than the fallen queen bent on revenge and surrounded by dark magic could have been to this girl. And yet the child seemed wholly unspoiled, her heart untarnished by the wickedness of Achren. Coll knew, however, that the emotional scars of her past would begin to show sooner or later. He shook his head and went about arranging a place for her to stay, grinning again as he wondered how their little home would change by the presence of a girl. How Taran would change. Coll could see it already, Taran might not know it yet, but Coll knew that the boy would ask for the princess to stay with him, knew that already he feared separation from her. Coll let out a chuckle. Things were going to change in Caer Dallben, indeed. 


	2. Chapter 2

Coll's attempts to introduce Eilonwy into the scullery had started poorly and had quickly sunk to abysmal levels. Although the girl had been eager to please and genuinely excited at the prospect of contributing to the little farm, she reacted with something less than enthusiasm when Coll had ushered her away from Taran and Hen Wen and into the scullery. It was then that the farmer encountered the princess's stubborn streak. What ensued was a battle of wills which could only result in casualties. After a seemingly endless lesson (interrupted frequently by Eilonwy's mistakes and mishaps) which included not only how to properly clean, cut, and prepare the evenings vegetables and cuts, but also how to manage the cooking fire and keep the water safe to drink. Already tired and increasingly impatient to be done with the meal, Eilonwy felt an impending sense of monotony at the prospect of going through these tasks multiple times a day. Every day. So when Coll stopped her from dropping to a bench and enjoying the food she had so painstakingly prepared because she had not cleaned the bowls nearly well enough, she was not entirely surprised when her infamous temper flared.

Frustrated beyond endurance, Eilonwy snatched the offending bowl from Coll's hands and threw it to the ground in a fit of girlish petulance. As the pieces shattered around her feet, she was instantly overcome with guilt and embarrassment and turned her wide eyes to Coll. The gardener did not say a word, but sighed heavily. As he reached above her head to take another bowl down from the shelf, Eilonwy flinched and turned her face away from him. With a sickening of heart, Coll realized that the girl had been expecting him to strike her. He took a step back, unconsciously rubbing his bald head as Eilonwy bent quickly to the floor and began picking up the mess with hands that betrayed a slight shake.

"I'm sorry, Coll. I'm sorry," the girl finally began to stammer into the awkward silence. "I don't mind working in the scullery, I really don't. I know I've been as pleasant as an angry beehive but I promise that I'm not - I was just being stubborn because…well I'm not sure why but I just need some more practice and Achren-" Here, Eilonwy swallowed and Coll interrupted her hurried ramblings.

"Child, I… why don't you take these and share your meal with Taran outdoors. You've been cooped up inside too long." He smiled reassuringly at her questioning glance and placed two bowls in her hands, careful not to touch her. As she left the scullery rather hurriedly, Coll sank down at the table and laid his exhausted head in one hand.

"I'm afraid," came a voice from the doorway, "this is only the beginning." Dallben entered and sat across from his friend, giving the farmer a sympathetic look.

* * *

As Taran approached the door of the cottage, he heard a shattering crash followed by a deathly silence. Freezing in his tracks, the boy thought a moment and tried to breathe as quietly as possible. After weighing his options, Taran turned on the spot and retreated on his toes to Hen Wen's enclosure. Shortly after, Eilonwy emerged from the cottage carrying two bowls of food and made her way in his direction. Taran noticed a strange tightening in his stomach which was not unpleasant, but could easily be attributed to hunger. After unceremoniously handing him a bowl, the girl sat down with a heaviness unusual for a child who appeared to have been slightly underfed her entire life. Leaning her back against one of the fence posts, she began picking unenthusiastically at her food. Taran had eagerly begun to eat, but slowed his pace as he chewed the substance in his mouth with difficulty. Continuing his dutiful chewing, Taran looked over at Eilonwy who was wrinkling her nose at her own meal. He wondered why she was so quiet and would have asked, but his mouthful was still not soft enough to swallow so he began to think instead. Hen Wen poked her nose inquisitively between them, and Eilonwy broke into a smile as the pig began nuzzling her hopefully. With a resigned sigh the girl slid her bowl into the enclosure. Her smile vanished, however, when Hen Wen prettily turned up her nose and ignored the food altogether. Apparently at a loss for words, Eilonwy simply let her head drop back and bounce hopelessly against the fence post. The girl recovered from defeat and returned to moody faster than Taran had expected, or at least faster than the rate he was able to consume his food. Arms crossed, Eilonwy turned her glare to him and he paused mid chew, feeling slightly ridiculous with his mouth partially open. However, remembering the sound of shattering crockery, he was unwilling to move lest his skull take the place of the scullery floor.

"Well go on then! Spit it out! Honestly, you look sillier than a fish trying to drink air."

Taran discreetly emptied the contents of his mouth back into the bowl and then added his share to Eilonwy's next to Hen Wen. The white pig looked at him reproachfully.

"I wouldn't worry about the food. It was only your first try. Coll said that my first horse shoe wasn't fit for a mule to walk across the barn in. It didn't even look like a horse shoe actually. But Coll also said that everything becomes easier with practice."

Eilonwy didn't look convinced, but she did seem calmer. Taran wondered when he had started remembering the things Coll told him.


End file.
